I stood in support of a bipartisan press conference recently, calling for greater New York State investment in local roads, bridges and culverts. There I was joined by colleagues from both the state senate and assembly. We emphasized that local roads and bridges must serve as the foundation of any statewide infrastructure plan moving forward.

Local roads and bridges make up roughly 87 percent of New York’s road mileage and more than half of its bridges. In addition, 48 percent of all vehicle miles traveled in the state occur on local roads. Despite this heavy use, less than 12 percent of the taxes and fees paid to the state by drivers are directed toward maintaining these roadways.

Because of this imbalance, we are calling on state lawmakers to increase funding for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) by $250 million, bringing the total to $898 million annually. The proposal aims to help local governments maintain and improve transportation infrastructure across the state.

The increased funding would improve road conditions for residents across New York while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used efficiently and effectively.

Providing safe and accessible roads is one of the most important responsibilities we have as elected officials. CHIPS isn’t a handout. It is vital funding that our communities need to thrive, and the governor’s current budget proposal simply doesn’t meet the mark. Our local roads need adequate funding, and I’m proud to stand alongside my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure they get exactly that.

Assemblyman Karl Brabenec (R,C-98)
Deerpark, NY